ALL ABOUT THE STATUE OF LIBERTY: 11 min, grades 2-6: The Statue of Liberty was designed to show the world 100 years of freedom. This video shows how Lady Liberty stands over our country.
AMERICA ROCK (School House Rock Series): 30 min, grades K-5: A unique combination of catchy songs and brilliant animation make the founding of America a lively adventure. Students will remember important facts for years to come.
AMERICAN REVOLUTION (United States History Video Collection Series): 35 Min, grades 5-8. Video includes causes of the American Revolution; England’s imperial policies; resistance leaders; patriots and Loyalists; the shot heard “Round the World”; Declaration of Independence; rights of a man; abolition of slavery in the North; the War of Independence; Treaty of Paris.
ANNIE OAKLEY: 52 min: Jamie Lee Curtis delivers a stylish portrayal of “Little Sure Shot” Annie Oakley in this colorful biography of an American legend which was embellished to be a little taller than real life. Beginning her adventurous life as Phoebe Moses, little Annie becomes a master shot while still a young girl. Later her husband, marksman Frank Butler (Cliff DeYoung), first convinces her to change her name to something more flashy and then persuades the famed Buffalo Bill (Brian Dennehy) to hire Annie for his extravagant Wild West Show. In no time, Annie is thrilling audiences everywhere as part of an exciting new world of other living legends including the renowned Chief Sitting Bull. History itself comes to life as sharp-tongued, strait –shooting Annie Oakley steps out of the pages of Americana and onto the screen. Highlighted by actual footage of Annie herself, filmed in 1903 by Thomas Edison. It’s wonderful family entertainment that’s right on the mark!
AS THE WIND ROCKS THE WAGON: AN AMERICAN ODYSSEY: 52 min, grades 4-6: True stories of the Oregon Trail from the diaries of pioneer women. The moving, new play-on-video that dramatically recreates the experiences of families on the Oregon Trail between 1840 – 1870. The production is based upon eyewitness accounts taken from diaries, letters, and memoirs written by pioneer women. Five characters are brought to life through the one-woman performance of Amy Warner.
BUILDING OF THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD (This is America Charlie Brown Series): 24 min, grades 1-4: Get a Peanuts view of history when Charlie Brown tells the story of America’s first transcontinental railroad.
CITIZENS RULE! OUR FOUNDING DOCUMENTS: DVD, 23 min, grades 3-8: This program introduces students to the documents that laid the foundation for our government; the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Live action reenactments, colorful animated graphics and maps help tell the stories of how the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution came to be. The program discusses the people, places and events that led to the development of our country’s founding documents. Students will come to understand the basic concepts of our government. They will learn how these two important documents make things fair, safe and free for all citizens of the United States.
CITIZENS RULE! SYMBOLS OF AMERICA: DVD, 23 min, grades 3-8: Was there really an Uncle Sam? Who wrote the Pledge of Allegiance? Why are the flag’s colors red, white and blue? Children will enjoy exploring answers to these questions and learning about the origins and meaning of our country’s most valued symbols and celebrations. Live-action, animation and colorful graphics help tell the stories in an entertaining and memorable way.
CAUSES OF THE CIVIL WAR (United States History Video Collection Series): 35 min, grades 5-8: Video includes Industrial North; Agricultural South and Cotton Belt; Plantation slavery; Black resistance to slavery; Nat Turner’s Rebellion; Ascent of the Republican Party; Free blacks and the abolition movement; Underground Railroad; Sectional polarization; the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850; Popular sovereignty; the Dred Scott case; Abraham Lincoln; Secession of southern states.
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DEAR AMERICA SERIES: 6- 30 min lessons, grades 3-6: A collection of live-action based on Scholastic’s award-winning book series inspired by the diaries of real girls.
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Color Me Dark by Patricia C. McKissack: The Story of Nellie Lee Love, The Great Migration North: Nellie Lee Love moves north with her family to Chicago—the land of opportunity hoping to escape the racism of the rural south. Mamma believes a new start will help Nellie Lee’s sister Erma Jean, who stopped speaking after a mysterious but horrifying event only she witnessed. Though life in this northern city is exciting, Nellie Lee sees that racism knows no boundaries. When a group of boys threaten Nellie Lee, Erma Jean finds her voice just in time to fend them off. Through the love of their family, both sisters learn that they possess the strength to triumph.
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A Journey to the New World: The Story of Remember Patience Whipple: Twelve year old Remember Patience Whipple (Mem for short) arrives in the New World after a grueling 65 day journey on the Mayflower. Mem has an irrepressible spirit, and leaps headfirst into life in her new home. Despite harsh conditions, Mem is fearless. She helps to care for the sick and wants more than anything to meet an Indian. Join Mem as she embarks on a journey of triumph, tragedy and thanksgiving.
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A Picture of Freedom: The story of Clotee, a Slave girl: Clotee, a twelve year-old slave, is teaching herself to spell a word she’s never been able to understand. But no one can find out she can read and write—she could be beaten, sold, or worse. Her friends Spicey and Hince are in love and when the master decides to tear them apart, Clotee knows she must come up with a plan. She risks everything to help her friends and family, and learns that freedom is more than just a word—it’s an entire world.
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So Far from Home: The Story of Mary Driscoll, an Irish Mill Girl: With the potato famine devastating her homeland in Ireland, Mary Driscoll must leave her parents to seek out a better life in America. Mary finds work in a mill, where working conditions are dreadful. Although her friends encourage her to join the new labor union, Mary hesitates to speak out for fear of losing her job. When her dear friend Sean is falsely accused of murder, Mary must decide if she is ready to face her fears and sacrifice everything to save him.
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The winter of Red Snow: The Revolutionary War Story of Abigail Jane Stewart: When General George Washington’s troops first set up camp near Abigail Stewart’s home; Abby believes war is exciting and glamorous. Abby works at Washington’s headquarters, where she finds a special friend in Martha Washington, the future first lady. But during the long winter Abby sees for herself the hardships of war, as soldiers are starving, wounded or dying. Abby must summon a newfound strength to help the soldiers and their loved ones carry on.
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Standing in the Light: The Captive Story of Catharine Carey Logan: Caty Logan has always lived a quiet life with her Quaker family. But one day Caty’s world is changed forever. The Lenape Indians, who have been viciously attacked by white settlers, retaliate by kidnapping Caty and her brother. Terrified and angry Caty rejects the Lenape family that tries to raise her as their own. A handsome warrior named Snow Hunter teaches Caty to respect Lenape traditions… and captures her heart. Now caught between two worlds, Caty wonders if she will ever be able to return to her old life.
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EARLY SETTLERS (American History for Children Video Series): 25 min, grades K-4: This video includes Pilgrims and the Mayflower; Story of the Mayflower Compact; Squanto and the First Thanksgiving; Life in Colonial Williamsburg; Colonists.
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ERA OF COLONIZATION (1585-1763)(United States History Video Collection Series): 35 min, grades5-8: Video includes European/Native American interaction; Jamestown settlement; Puritan settlements and society; influence of the English and changes in Native American societies; religious diversity & religious freedom; Quakers in Pennsylvania; the struggle for control in North America; the French and Indian War, the impact of colonial wars.
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EXPANSIONISM (United States History Video Collection Series): 35 min, grades 5-8: Video includes territorial expansion and the Louisiana Purchase; Lewis & Clark expedition; War of 1812; Native American resistance; Tecumseh and the Trail of Tears; Manifest Destiny; Oregon Trail; Mexican-American War; California Gold Rush.
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GONE WEST: 52 min: In 1803, Louisiana is purchased. Lewis and Clark reconnoiter the Pacific, river men, traverse the distant waterways. Expansionist whites force whole Indian nations west of the Mississippi and red/white war is common. Then the Gold Rush hits.
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IN PURSUIT OF A DREAM: DVD: 2 disk set, part 1- 41 min, part 2- 48 min, grades 4-5: Two dozen teenagers and three teachers go back in time, dress as the pioneers did, and travel by wagon train on the Oregon Trail from Wyoming to Oregon. Along the way they meet a variety of other people, from topographical engineers mapping the West to gold seekers headed to California, and Indians wanting to trade. The interactions experienced by the thousands of people who crossed the country in the mid 1800’s on these same trails and helped create the nation as we know it today. Comes with a list of vocabulary words, discussion questions, and a list of web sites for more information.
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INDUSTRIALIZATION & URBANIZATION (1870-1910) (U.S. History Video Collection Series): 35 min, grades 5-8: Video includes the railroads, the rise of heavy industry and the birth of corporate America; extractive industries; the cattle frontier and the Homestead Act of 1862; mechanized farming and the agricultural revolution; immigration and the migration west; the rise of the industrial cities; pollution and the birth of the conservation movement.
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JAMESTOWN (Colonial Life for Children Series): 23 min, grades 3-7: While doing research for a school project on the Jamestown settlement in Virginia, Greg gets zapped into the internet and finds himself at the historic site itself! Colonial interpreters at Jamestown help answer his questions about the English settlers’ difficult ocean crossing, the early days of the colony and the struggles for land, food, water and shelter. Greg finds that many of the men who landed there in 1607 had to learn new skills to survive and that their search for gold and silver in the New World became a lucrative tobacco trade instead. He also visits a Powhatan Indian village and learns about their customs and way of life. Finally the beginnings of a representative government at the colony show Greg that much of the heritage we celebrate today actually began at Jamestown.
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LEWIS AND CLARK GO WEST: 28 min, grades 3-8: Travel with Meriwether Lewis and William Clark into the unknown territory west of the Mississippi. Information presented deals with the perils, hardships, discoveries and triumphs of the famous expedition.
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LEWIS AND CLARK: TOOLS OF SURVIVAL: 20 min, grades 3-9: This informative program explores the wilderness survival techniques employed by Lewis & Clark’s expedition. Explores 18th century survival tools as well as the group’s interactions with Native Americans.
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LIBERTY’S KIDS SERIES: DVD & VHS: 40-30 min lessons, grades 2-5: this series brings to life the American Revolutionary War and the founding of the United States.
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Sybil Ludington: James learns from the courageous Sybil Ludington that the thought of independence lies not only in the hearts of soldiers and determined young men, but also in the hearts of determined young women. Sarah travels to Philadelphia with General Benedict Arnold and witnesses his passion for attaining a higher office in the army.
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Hessians are Coming: James witnesses the American victory at Saratoga from a unique point of view when he spends it lashed to a Hessian soldier. Sarah sees Benedict Arnold’s heroics in the battle—and his anger at not receiving proper recognition afterward.
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Valley Forge: When General Washington and his men endure a terrible winter at Valley Forge, James and Sarah see the hardships suffered by common foot soldiers. Lafayette helps foil a plot to overthrow Washington as commander.
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Allies at Last: James learns about religious freedom from Moses Michael Hayes while Sarah and Henri are in occupied Philadelphia. In Paris, Benjamin Franklin finally succeeds in getting a commitment from the French to fight on the American side.
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Shot Heard Round the World: James, observing on the Minutemen—citizens taking up arms to fight the British Redcoats—and Sarah, falling in with the British forces, report from both sides on the “shot heard round the world” at Concord Bridge.
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Green Mountain Boys: James heads to the Grants to cover the story of the settlers’ struggle; Sarah goes hoping to find a place in the Green Mountains for her family to settle; and Henri just wants to find maple syrup. Sarah and James witness the capture of the fort, and Sarah befriends Benedict Arnold, whom she instantly respects.
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Second Continental Congress: Desperate for information on what Congress is doing behind the closed doors of The Statehouse, James unknowingly befriends a British spy. Sarah and Moses meet George Washington and together use “Yankee ingenuity” to fix Washington’s broken carriage.
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Bunker Hill: With little ammunition, the Americans are ordered “Don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes” in the first major battle of the war. Sarah searches for a British officer who may know her father’s whereabouts. James, with Dr. Joseph Warren, witnesses the battle and learns firsthand the high price of freedom. Henri makes mischief as a messenger between the battle lines.
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Postmaster General Franklin: When the Philadelphia patriots find out that some of their mail isn’t being delivered to the right people by the British-controlled postal service, James and Sarah volunteer to carry important letters to New York. Ben Franklin becomes the colonies’ Postmaster General on July 26, 1775.
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Washington Takes Command: Sarah, James and Henri accompany George Washington to Boston, where he takes command of the American Army and the city’s defense. Later, James goes with Henry Knox to Fort Ticonderoga to bring back cannons that will help the rebels drive the British out of Boston.
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Common Sense: James, Sarah and Henri meet Thomas Paine and learn of his belief that the common man can rule himself. The kids also hear Paine’s stand favoring full independence from England. James is particularly impressed and realizes that his work on the paper is as important as that of the soldiers firing guns.
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First Fourth of July: The Second Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia and finally passes a motion calling for the colonies to be independent from Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson drafts the written Declaration, while Sarah teaches James the “power of words”.
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New York, New York: Sarah does a report on the loyalist’s opinion on the revolution in New York and James escapes to Manhattan with the Continental Army. Meanwhile, a soldier from Connecticut, Udney Wolfe-Hutchinson, seems to have a bit of a crush on Sarah.
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The Turtle: The kids think they’ve spotted a sea monster in New York harbor, but it turns out to be a new submersible craft invented by David Bushnell. James talks his way onto the first mission for the new submarine, which fails in its attempt to sink a ship but does do damage that weakens the British blockade of the harbor.
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One Life to Lose: After a conference fails to bring the two sides any closer to peace, American spy Nathan Hale is caught and hanged by the British. Having met Hale earlier, James and Sarah are determined to have everyone hear his inspiring last words.
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Captain Molly: With General Washington losing battle after battle, James’ confidence wavers. He and Sarah go to Washington’s camp to report from the front lines. However, because she is a girl, Sarah is sent to Fort Tryon with the other women and children. There she befriends Molly, a spunky patriot whose husband was killed fighting the British. But then James finds out that the British are going to attack Fort Tryon! Meanwhile, back in Philadelphia, Moses starts teaching Henri how to read.
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American Crisis: Battlefield setbacks, the questioning of George Washington’s leadership from his own generals, and the flight of Congress from Philadelphia to Baltimore prompt Thomas Paine to write that “These are the times that try men’s souls.” The kids wonder whether the revolution is about to go down in defeat.
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Across the Delaware: James knows a secret about a captured spy named John Honeyman, but he can’t tell anyone—not even Sarah. Using the element of surprise, General Washington gets two much-needed victories at Trenton and Princeton.
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An American in Paris: Trying to show Abigail Adams’ children that the new smallpox inoculation is safe, Sarah herself has a bad reaction and contacts a serious case of the disease. Benjamin Franklin settles in as America’s Ambassador to France, while James accompanies Alexander Hamilton to his new assignment as a member of George Washington’s staff at Morristown.
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Lafayette arrives: The Marquis de Lafayette, strongly sympathetic to the American cause, arrives in Philadelphia seeking a commission from the Continental Congress, insisting that his motivation is fighting for liberty, not glory. Lafayette is granted a commission and joins Washington and the Americans in the field of battle.
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Honor & Compromise: Only available on VHS: Henri befriends Wappinger Indian Abraham Nimham, who tutors the boy on the finer points of capturing turkeys for their feathers. Sarah and Moses visit Congress in York, Pennsylvania, and witness the debate over the Articles of Confederation.
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The New Frontier: Sarah decides to go off into the wild Ohio frontier to find her father. While she’s there, some friendly Native Americans offer assistance. An English friend of the tribe comes to help, and Sarah gets a very wonderful surprise—and makes a sad decision. Meanwhile, James and every other poor person is having trouble with the rich overcharging them.
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Not Yet Begun to Fight: Sarah’s ship is wrecked on its way to England, and its passengers are rescued by American Naval Commander John Paul Jones. Off the coast of England, Jones and the crew of the outgunned Bonhomme Richard win a crucial battle against the British ship Serapis.
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The Great Galvez: Sarah is in London with her mother and is having doubts about belonging there. In the end, she finally decides she is an American. Meanwhile, James and Henri are traveling a long way to give a letter to Galvez, but come across some British soldiers. Will they stop them and find the letter?
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In Praise of Ben: Sarah returns to Philadelphia and is reunited with Moses, James and Henri. Henri gets into a scrape with a Tory boy when the Tory makes disparaging comments about Ben Franklin. Sarah, James and Moses tell the boys about Franklin’s discoveries, inventions, writings and other accomplishments that have made him one of the world’s greatest men.
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Bostonians: Sarah and Henri join the Adams family in Massachusetts just as John and his son, John Quincy return from France and are reunited with Abigail. John is asked to write the Massachusetts Constitution. James travels to New York, where he meets Joseph Brant, a chief of the Iroquois Confederacy, and learns firsthand about atrocities committed by Iroquois and American alike.
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Boston Tea Party: At the direction of their employer Benjamin Franklin, Moses, James and Henri travel to Boston in search of Sarah, who has just arrived on a tea-laden ship from England. When they get to the harbor, however, they happen upon a group of colonists disguised as Native Americans and discover they are raiding the very ship Sarah is on.
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Intolerable Acts: In response to the Boston Tea Party, the British occupy Boston. Moses, James, Sarah and Henri hide at poet Phillis Wheatley’s house, where some of His Majesty’s soldiers are being quartered, and Sarah is confronted with the horror of slavery for the first time.
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United We Stand: Moses lets James report on Congress, and after a British sailor is “tarred and feathered” James learns about the ugliness of mob rule, when emotions get in the way of compassion. Sarah and Henri meet Abigail Adams and travel with her to bring supplies and pamphlets to the occupied city of Boston.
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Liberty or Death!: James, Sarah, Henri and Moses travel to Virginia, where they witness Patrick Henry’s speech. Moses is shocked to find his brother, Cato, on the slave auction block and risks his own freedom to rescue him.
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Midnight Ride: Sarah and James travel to Boston to deliver a message to patriot leader Dr. Joseph Warren and ride with the famous messengers Paul Revere and William Dawes as they spread the word that “the British are coming!”
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Benedict Arnold: James, Sarah and Henri are present when Benedict Arnold tries to hand West Point over to the British. Arnold’s plot is uncovered, however, when his accomplice Major Andre is captured. Sarah, especially, is upset by her former friend’s treason.
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Conflict in the South: James and Henri follow General Nathaniel Greene’s campaign as he tries to win the hearts and minds of the Southern populace by leading Cornwallis on a six-month chase that exhausts the British troops. Cornwallis moves into Virginia, where Governor Thomas Jefferson is forced by Benedict Arnold to abandon the Governor’s residence in Richmond.
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Deborah Samson- Soldier of the Revolution: Sarah meets the courageous Deborah Samson, who masquerades as a man so she can fight with the Continental Army. James and Henri witness a disagreement between Washington and French General Rochambeau on whether to try to retake New York or move south against Cornwallils.
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James Armistead: Sarah and Henri go from camp to camp with Lafayette as he jousts with Cornwallis, and then worry over the fate of James Armistead, a Virginia slave spying on Benedict Arnold. Meanwhile, James follows Washington and Henry Knox, and Moses learns of his brother’s slavery by Cornwallis’ forces.
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Yorktown: Moses’ brother, Cato, a soldier on the British side, is sent into harm’s way by Cornwallis and is aided by a sympathetic Hessian soldier. Sarah, James and Henri witness the long siege and victory for the Americans, but Washington is not yet convinced the war is over.
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Born Free & Equal: Sarah, staying with Abigail Adams in Boston, is thrilled to see Mum Bett freed and resolves to fight for civil rights. In France, Ben Franklin hopes that news of Yorktown will convince King George to surrender to his former colonies. James finds himself in a tight spot as he digs deeper for the whole story.
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The Man Who Wouldn’t be King: In Newburgh, New York, some members of Washington’s officer corps want him to become King, but Washington puts down the revolt. James tells Sarah and Henri the story of the attempted military coup, and the three kids journey to Maryland to see Washington offer his resignation to Congress.
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Going Home: Sarah goes to New York to get the story of the fate of the loyalists. Moses helps Cato travel to New York, where Cato departs for Nova Scotia with Mrs. Radcliffe. James reports of Shays and the discontent of the former soldiers—and resolves to own and run his own newspaper. Lafayette invites Henri to live with him in France. Ben, accompanied by Sarah’s mother, returns from Europe to a triumphant reception in Philadelphia
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We the People: Delegates from each state meet once again in Philadelphia to draft a radical new Constitution. Moses resolves to open a school for free black children. Sarah’s father joins the family from Ohio, and everyone looks forward to their new lives in the United States of America.
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